Sow Bugs in Basement?

Question

I have hundreds of sow bugs in my basement(which is unfinshed). I don't know where they are coming from! How do I get rid of them?

There isn't any leaf litter around the house. The dirt, however, seems full of sow bugs and ants. We thought that we had sealed the cracks in the basement. Could the bugs trapped in there be breeding?

Answer 1

They like dark and damp places....preferable wood. Maybe you could set up some kind of trap for them? Take a couple pieces of cardboard (slightly damp) and set them on the floor overnight. You should (I'm not guaranteeing anything LOL) find the cardboard loaded with them the next morning. Carefully take the cardboard outside and shake them out. Also, try to find the source of where they might be getting in and block the area. Also...check for moisture problems in your basement and around your foundation and try to dry the area up. Also...they start outside of the home in wood chips, leaf piles etc. When the outside food source dwindles...they'll move into the home in search of more food and/or a suitable environment. Here's a page with more info...scroll down to the sow bug article.
http://www.ghorganics.com/page9.html#Sow%20or%20Pill%20bugs:

Answer 2

The solution seems to be, from what I've read, get rid of the moisture, get rid of the leaf litter (or other decaying vegetative matter), either in or near the house). Then, find their hiding places in the basement and sweep them up and out. Find the crack & crevices they are using to come in through and seal them so they can't return. Check the sites below for more information. The one site does not recommend sprays, but the other does have sprays listed -- guess you can make your own decision regarding that!

Good luck! I'm battling "The Invasion of the Mole Crickets!" myself!!

Answer 3

Dry out the basement and have someone come spray your basement.